Well after getting some expected replies I am aware that some on this forum are as dumb as dog ■■■■.
About 25 years ago I was driving along and a wee dog ran out right in front of me swiftly followed by a 6-7 year old child. I jumped on the brakes and air horns blasting caused the wee girl to freeze where she was. Somehow I missed her but flattened her wee dog. Her mum came running out as the wee girl stood transfixed and screaming and crying at the red bloody mess which used to be her beloved pet. Luckily for me mum had seen the whole thing and completely understood I had no choice but to steer towards the dog and away from the child.
I would in theory value an animals life more than a humans,but in reality a dog cannot sue for damages,mind you it would be different if a child ran out in front,if I hit a child I could not handle that,again though I would blame the parent for not keeping control of the child,
As someone pointed out earlier, you don’t really have time to make a judgement most of the time when you see something dart out into the road, so while I would rather flatten an animal I realise that, come the time I don’t know what I’d do.
While in the Army a good mate was killed when the Land Rover he was a passenger in swerved to miss a deer & hit a tree, he died immediately apparently. I would rather be able to go out for a drink with him than stroke any deer. 
Do you have any idea how life can be without freedom for 10 years. I mean jail time for a dog? ■■■■■ please!
Baggie:
Cyclists don’t pay road tax,so they shouldn’t be on the road.
Whereas dogs…well,I’m sure they would if they could
But its against the law to ride them on the pavement, that’s for pedestrians, so where do they go? (I’m ready for the obvious “leave the bike at home” response hahaha!) Seriously though, as a cyclist, there’s some STUPID guys out there using the road as a ‘training’ ground. Time and place for that, its rarely ever going to be on the roads!
In reply to the original post, I’ve had dogs run out on me (not in trucks) but its instinct to slam on the brakes. Nobody wants to hurt anyone on the roads whether its human or not. We are all on there together sharing it, so I think you did what everyone else would do, and thankfully no one was hurt! [emoji106]
By the way, hello everyone I’m the new guy! On the HGV training journey at the mo and finding this forum pretty helpful so cheers! Couldn’t figure out how to post saying hi…[emoji18]
I vaguely recall that if you killed a dog you had to report it to the police but not if you killed a cat. Because dogs were licenced (seven and sixpence?) and cats were not.
Euro:
I vaguely recall that if you killed a dog you had to report it to the police but not if you killed a cat. Because dogs were licenced (seven and sixpence?) and cats were not.
That rings a bell with me too. Plus kill a swan and you can get arrested for it.
Euro:
I vaguely recall that if you killed a dog you had to report it to the police but not if you killed a cat. Because dogs were licenced (seven and sixpence?) and cats were not.
It’s not about licensing, it’s because cats are classed as wild animals and fall in with foxes, badgers, rabbits, pheasants and the like which don’t need reporting.
The animals you do need to report hitting are,
Dogs
Goats
Cattle
Sheep
Pigs
Horses, asses and mules
You can report hitting any animal to the council so they can remove the carcass.
You don’t get a choice when it comes to what evasive action you take.
I had a child on a bike go under my wheels this time last year. My reaction was to swerve to the off side and at least try and get on the other side of the road. The cyclist did the same thing in the end but had I swerved to the near side I would have wiped out 4 other cyclists and ended up in a tree.
Scariest moment of my life, but you really don’t get a second to think about what to do. You just do it.
If you kill a swan,its one less for the eastern Europeans to eat.
bazza123:
To Baggie: How do you know a cyclist doesn’t tax his car or other vehicle that is left on his drive when he takes his bike out??
Ever heard of the phrase “Tongue in cheek remark” ■■?
Didn’t you see the smiley winky things ■■?
I despair sometimes 
Coffeeholic:
Baggie:
Cyclists don’t pay road tax,so they shouldn’t be on the road.You’re a moron, nobody pays road tax.
I’m so sorry Coffee…you are right,and I am so very,very wrong 
If only I could meet you…I would prostrate myself at your smelly feet,and beg forgiveness from the mighty one.
If we happened to meet near a wooded copse,I would rip slender branches from the nearby trees,and scourge myself pitilessly until the blood flowed freely,in humble acknowledgement of my enormous error.
Please,please forgive me
Baggie:
Coffeeholic:
Baggie:
Cyclists don’t pay road tax,so they shouldn’t be on the road.You’re a moron, nobody pays road tax.
I’m so sorry Coffee…you are right,and I am so very,very wrong
If only I could meet you…I would prostrate myself at your smelly feet,and beg forgiveness from the mighty one.
If we happened to meet near a wooded copse,I would rip slender branches from the nearby trees,and scourge myself pitilessly until the blood flowed freely,in humble acknowledgement of my enormous error.Please,please forgive me
You’re weird. 
That’s what my wife,friends,relations and workmates all say
How can so many people be wrong
The-Snowman:
Im one of those people who skips the parts of movies where a dog gets hurt. I could watch any kind of violent or horror film and it wont bother me but if an animal gets hurt I skip right past. So i’d flatten the cyclist without blinking
Watership down! Did you cry? 
run rabbit 
cyclists need flattening 
bazza123:
To Baggie: How do you know a cyclist doesn’t tax his car or other vehicle that is left on his drive when he takes his bike out??
who cares?
Fatboy slimslow:
Watership down! Did you cry?
Lol. Havn’t seen Watership down. Ive seen Hostel twice,reservoir dogs and natural born killers about a million times,not to mention any other number of violent/horror movies and it doesnt bother me one bit. But I wont watch Marley and me because the dog dies at the end! And ive only seen mad max once because his dog gets killed.
I have five labrador’s and I can sit in a room with them all day. 99% of people I struggle to last more than ten minutes with! Guess that tells you where my priorities lie!
Fatboy slimslow:
bazza123:
To Baggie: How do you know a cyclist doesn’t tax his car or other vehicle that is left on his drive when he takes his bike out??who cares?
if I read it correctly didn’t baggie say cyclists don’t pay road tax so they should not be on the road,so its irrelevant if they pay for their cars to use the road,if you own a bike then pay extra tax to use the road I think that’s the point hes making,my opinion is they should also be insured for their pushbikes and have a small plate back and front registered with DVLA that way if they damage a car in temper they can be held to account if they ride off and you get the bikes number for the police
In my wee perfect world then the difference between animals and cyclists would be in the event of mishap.there would probably be skidmarks leading up to the animal…your instant reflex is to avoid anything jumping out in front.of you…but with time to think then dogs dont annoy me.whereas some tree hugging vegitarian whale kissing Lycra spandex clad oiled up fanny with a helmet cam and attitude problem does…the difference would be the I evitable prison sentence that would invariably follow…